Darius Watson Turned Into Double Threat

TOM YANTZThe Hartford Courant

DARIUS WATSON NEW BRITAINClass: Senior

Position: Forward

Coach: Stan Glowiak

Accomplishments: Scored 1,477 career points, second-highest total in school history. ... Averaged 22 points and nine rebounds, shot 57 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the free-throw line and made 43 three-pointers. ... Scored 32 points, 18 in the fourth quarter, in an 82-76 loss at Northwest Catholic. ... Had 35 points and 18 rebounds in 61-57 win over Newington. ... Scored 26 in a 52-49 Class LL second-round victory over Holy Cross.

Watson said: "I ran two miles every other day, lifted a lot and shot a lot of jumpers last summer. I shot a lot with [teammate] Steven Glowiak, and that helped me become a better outside shooter. When I was a freshman, I weighed 250 pounds [now he's 215] and was strictly a low-post player. I wanted to bring my inside game out. I was proud how far we made it in the playoffs [Class LL quarterfinals]. Maybe we could have gone farther, but it wasn't meant to be."

Glowiak said: "He changed his body before the season by working out and became more athletic. He was so tough to stop with his dribble penetration. He also hit threes. He was an inside-outside double threat. He's very agile. When he drives, he's difficult to stop, has good control and can finish with his left or right hand. He got us big rebounds, too. Even though teams said, 'We have to stop Darius,' it wasn't an easy thing to do. Night in night out, he took over games."

Up next: He signed with New Haven last fall but is considering other college options because of the Chargers' coaching change. Central Connecticut, Old Dominion, New Hampshire, Hartford and Sacred Heart have shown interest.

In 10 years: "I'd like to be playing pro ball in the NBA or overseas."

Miscellaneous: Scored 15 points in the CHSCA All-Star Game March 24. ... His father, Albie, was a shooting guard and a great defender at Middletown High. ... Older brother Albie Jr. played at The Master's School in Simsbury and at Newbury College in Brookline, Mass. ... Enjoys going to the beach and playing pool.